Chocolate Resentment
by Miss Quartermain
Summary: Follow-up to Chocolate Mysteries.  It seems that chocolates are not the answer to every problem.  Too bad for Owen.  AU Mazanett pairing.  Part three of the Mazanett Drabble Series.


Disclaimer: Owen and Elisa belong to the amazing Greg Weisman. I'm just borrowing them.

Author's Note: Yeah…these drabbles are taking over my life, I swear. But they're so fun! I hope you enjoy this new installation. As always, dedicated to the lovely Obi's Second Cousin, without whom my writing would falter into something silly.

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Some guys just don't know how to take a hint. Such was the case now. I came up to my desk at the precinct to find the fifth box of chocolates in as many weeks on my desk. Honestly, it had been five weeks since I told Owen Burnett that we were through, and he still sent me chocolates once a week like clockwork. Without even picking up the card to read it, I tossed the box, card and all, into the trash can by my desk and sat down.

What a way to kill a good mood, really. There were times when I hated that man more than I could say. This was one of those times. He just _had_ to still be so perfect that it made my heart ache to think of losing him. Correction; I didn't lose him. Owen ended the relationship himself when he lied to me. And I wasn't about to start regretting being smart and walking away while I could. Any man who lied to me and helped his boss manipulate those I considered friends wasn't worth my time.

So why did I feel like I had lost something priceless by throwing away a box of chocolates? Okay, five boxes, but I wasn't going to get hung up on details like that.

I forced myself to not look at the trash can beside me. It wouldn't help anything at this point. The last thing I needed was another distraction. The Gargoyles and my job, not to mention trying to find time to spend with family, were taking up every moment of time that I had. I couldn't just let Owen invade my mind the way he had when we were together. That was why I'd let him dazzle me that way. I'd focused on the glamour of dating Owen Burnett of all people and tried to ignore his less-than-legal actions. That was stupid of me, to say the least.

And still the chocolates seemed to call to me. Stupid things.

I don't know why this was the case, but I had a great fondness for chocolates. Sure, most people not allergic to chocolate enjoy it, but I _really_ liked chocolates. Almost too much. Owen had discovered this while we were dating, and had taken advantage of it. Every week, like clockwork, he would send me a box of expensive chocolates at my work, almost always accompanied by a note of some kind. Not love notes. Owen Burnett didn't _do_ love notes. Not that I had minded that much. I wasn't a very romantic person myself, though I could have some romantic tendencies. After all, I had kept all of the notes that Owen sent me with each box. That was…I had until we broke up.

Okay, the more appropriate wording would be that _I_ broke up with Owen. And it was one of the hardest days of my life. I would never admit this to anyone who knew Owen and I, but it was true. Breaking things off with Owen…had hurt. And it had hurt a lot. Against all odds, I had fallen pretty hard for the man, but I was trying to overcome that. I was getting…mixed results.

Some days I felt fine and could go on as usual, ignoring whatever pain that remained from that awful night. Then days like this happened and I couldn't fight or ignore the pangs that shot through my heart. I don't know how that man did it, but somehow he was able to twist the proverbial knife in my chest by doing something as simple as sending me chocolates.

Damn him.

Glancing around to make sure that no one was watching, I leaned over to snatch the card that had been with the chocolates. No one seemed to notice or care, so I relaxed a little and opened the card to read it. Owen's handwriting was a lot like he was; crisp, clear, and perfect. It was just one more twist of the knife, seeing it there.

_Elisa,_

_I realize that I do not deserve a response from you. I have hurt you far too deeply for that, and I can only say that I am sorry. Just accept this gift and please understand that I didn't mean to hurt you as much as I did._

_Please,_

_Owen_

I didn't know when the tears had filled my eyes, but by the time I put down the card I had to wipe my eyes to clear them. As I said before; damn him. Just…just _damn_ him to hell. I tore the card in half and threw it into the trashcan again, hastily covering my face in my hands to keep myself from sobbing uncontrollably.

Since Owen and I had…I don't know why, but since that horrible, horrible night, I'd cried more than I ever had in my entire adult life. It was stupid of me, and I hated it. I wasn't used to being so emotionally imbalanced and it was starting to get to me. I glanced back at the trashcan again and the box of chocolates. It would be so easy to…

Oh, screw it.

I reached down and grabbed the box, opening it and taking one out. Don't judge me. I was a woman who was suffering an emotional upheaval and I needed the sugar rush. Besides…chocolate makes everything better.


End file.
